Rafael Nadal Beats Andy Murray To Reach Wimbledon Final

WIMBLEDON, England — Defending champion Rafael Nadal reached the Wimbledon final for the fifth time with a 5-7, 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 win over Andy Murray on Friday.

After Murray won a close first set, the match turned dramatically in Nadal's favor early in the second set. The fourth-seeded Briton was leading 2-1 and over-hit an easy forehand that would have given him two break points.

Instead, Nadal won the next seven games before easing to victory and a place in Sunday's final against second-seeded Novak Djokovic.

Murray appeared to be slowed by a hip problem as he tried to become the first British man since 1938 to reach the final.

Nadal, who himself has a left foot injury, is unbeaten in 20 matches at Wimbledon since losing to Roger Federer in the 2007 final.

Comments

[BlueZoo]

11:45 AM on 07/03/2011

Fourth set and not looking good for Rafa! Alas...

[frank day]

12:32 PM on 07/03/2011

Definitely wasn't his day.

[BlueZoo]

12:44 PM on 07/03/2011

Djokovic was 5-0 against Nadal before today and that was when Nadal was healthy! Djokovic is just awesome and justly deserves every accolade.

[Marchmont]

04:09 PM on 07/02/2011

In the iconic film “The Hustler”, after completing the grueling early rounds, Minnesota Fats returns freshly groomed and says to his young opponent, “Fast Eddie, let’s play pool.” When Andy Murray walked onto the court, unkempt and unshaven, looking as if he had spent the prior evening in a bar and the night in a park, he looked like a loser. A large retinue of portly ladies wrapped in Scottish flags watched him fail with almost half his first serves, double fault 15 times, commit 40 unforced errors before the end. Unlike great international champions, Murray has always looked lost and fragile – the very antithesis of the old truism, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.”

[frank day]

03:08 PM on 07/02/2011

Djokovich in straight sets tomorrow.

[uneeda]

10:47 AM on 07/03/2011

close,but it ain't horseshoes

[frank day]

10:55 AM on 07/03/2011

It ain't over!

[savethecountry]

11:19 AM on 07/02/2011

Congratulations to Rafa for yet another win where complete conviction to the task at hand was just as important as his tactics and strokes.

Murray is still young enough to make changes. Aside from a sometimes shaky 2nd serve, Andy has enough game to win grand slam titles. It's time he found a coach who will mentally challenge him to actually BELIEVE that he can. Until that happens, Murray's biggest weakness will remain what resides in the space between his ears.

[iRock]

12:04 AM on 07/02/2011

Nadal in 4 sets.

Rafa is the greatest tennis player to play the sport. Unstoppable and SO humble.

I love him.

[Klarsonent]

10:20 AM on 07/03/2011

Me too. Is he cute, or what? Check it out:

http://www.google.com/search?q=nadal&hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&prmd=ivnsul&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=LHsQTvfBMMG40AHC1qStDg&ved=0CFMQsAQ&biw=1411&bih=715

[frank day]

12:31 PM on 07/03/2011

Well, he did get 1.

[Sesame2009]

05:32 PM on 07/01/2011

Vamos Rafa!  Well done. 

But I wish I could feel secure about Nadal's chances on Sunday.  For the first time since 2008, I feel nervous for Rafa going into a grand slam final.  Djokovic is on fire! 

Either way.  Sunday should be great to watch.  Hopefully my eardrums won't still be bleeding from the Sharapova match on Saturday.

[Phoebe917]

05:42 PM on 07/01/2011

lol. i literally cannot watch (or hear) her play. absolutely ridiculous and unnecessary. 110 decibels? she needs to tone it down.

[Sesame2009]

10:11 PM on 07/01/2011

It's not just the loudness, It's the screechiness to her tone that's so intolerable.

[LogicalMathMan]

08:01 PM on 07/01/2011

I would concur if Maria was not playing so well, or, if she wasn't the most photographed athlete in the world. It makes muting my TV just that bearable. Hope all is well with you.

[capsaicin]

04:45 PM on 07/01/2011

Nadal looked a little shaky in the first set, but he took command after that. Murray doesn't seem to have the mental fortitude for this level of play yet, as he let himself get frustrated and made too many unforced errors. Nole is going to be tough -- hoping for a great final. Vamos Rafa!

[TheLibraryOfCodex]

03:53 PM on 07/01/2011

Murray is a serial choker. He'll never win a Grand Slam as long as Novak and Nadal are around.

[BlueZoo]

03:37 PM on 07/01/2011

Rafa, you had me worried there in that first set! So happy to see you in the Final! Buena suerte!